This past weekend, as I was sitting in one of the “Breakout Sessions” at the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, it suddenly occurred to me.

Think of it this way: It was as if I had been spent hours and hours staring at an acclaimed piece of abstract art, wondering what made it so special, when, amazingly, in a stunning revelation, I realized what it was.

For a moment, I reveled in my mental accomplishment. I felt like I had figured out a piece of the public health puzzle. I wanted to sketch my message on a white board just like the famous 1992 Clinton campaign saying: “It’s the economy stupid.” But instead of that message, I would write my most recent revelation:

“It’s All About the Women”

Because it is. Public health (and, for the most part, health in general) is all about the women.

Let’s go over the basics:

(1)    In the majority of situations, who is the primary health care provider in the household? Women

(2)    In the majority of situations, who controls the cleanliness of the household? Women

(3)    In the majority of situations, who prepares the food and water for the household? Women

So, if we look at public health from this perspective, suddenly it seems that women have direct influence over three crucial factors in public health: (a) Primary Care, (b) Cleanliness/Sanitation, and (c) Food & Water.

It’s All About the Women

Public health programs need to target women in order to maximize their effectiveness. Educational initiatives ought to begin with women (the real “heads of the household”) in order to catch on and spread throughout the community. Similarly, micro-finance programs ought to be targeted towards women and their entrepreneurial goals.

Some might argue that women shouldn’t have to be responsible for the health of the household. To this point, I’d agree. Women should be given the opportunity to receive a high-quality education and should be promoted to positions of leadership (including political representation) in their communities. They should be provided with the power and opportunity to pursue whatever goals they desire.

Nonetheless, public health policy-makers would be remiss to overlook the current critical importance of women. It Really Is All About the Women… Stupid

Tags: Clinton, development, Gender, Global Missions Health Conference, public health, women